NRM MPS POSSESS FAKE AGE LIMIT SURVEYS- REPORT

By; Ben Musanje

A report released today by the Uganda Governance and Monitoring Platform (UGMP) and Citizen’s Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU) reveals that most National Resistance Movement (NRM) legislatures’ position on the age limit amendment does not reflect the mind of their constituencies.

Though 73 percent of the MPs say that they would not vote for the removal of age limit, the report further highlights that over 90% of female legislatures, army, workers representatives in parliament are in full support of the amendments in the constitution to change the age limit article.

The report further points out that most of these MPs are brought into power by state machinery hence the full support to all the bills that come before the house which affects the views of the electorates from being heard.

The survey shows that among the NRM MPs, 65 percent are against the removal of the age limit as compared to 35 percent who are in full support, then the opposition, 97% are against as compared to 3% who are in support and the independents, 81% are against as compared to 19% that are in support of the removal.

And based on regions, Buganda, Bugisu, Acholi, Lango and West Nile MPs are strongly against the removal of the age limit as compared to Western, Bunyoro, Busoga that have full support for the removal of the age limit.

However, Rev. Dr. Andrew Omona a lecturer at Makerere University warns that with the current trends of lack of respect for the rights of the electorate by the NRM MPs is a dangerous sign to the country’s political and democratic future.

The research was carried out between the months of September to October 2017 from over 100 constituencies across the country.

The controversial article 102(b) bill was presented before parliament on 27^th September 2017 by Hon. Raphael Magyezi and was earlier on the 16^th September backed by cabinet and then on 13^th October 2017 the NRM caucus meeting that was chaired by the party national chair, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni also endorsed the bill.